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STAR W E E K L Y
By Beverly Cohn Omar Sy is one of those gifted actors whose presence lights up the screen. American of audiences saw this French actor for the first time in The Intouchables, for which he won the French Cesar Award for Best Actor in 2012. The film was also nominated for a Golden Globe and a BAFTA award. One of France’s top actors, he has crossed the pond, acting in two blockbuster films: X-Men: Days of Future Passed and Jurassic World.
Sy’s latest film is Samba, in which he plays an illegal immigrant in trying to stay under the French government’s radar. Written and directed by the same team who made the unforgettable The Intouchables, Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, the film co-stars Charlotte Gainsbourg, Tahar Rahim, and Izïa Higelin. He recently sat down with a select group of journalists where he not only discussed the film, but also talked about his personal story and family life in America. He
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Up Close with Omar Sy
Friday, August 7, 2015 Vol. 8 No. 62
has a charming French accent so the following has been edited for content and phrasing. Sy recently sat down with a select group of journalists where he not only discussed the film, but also talked about his personal story and family life in America. He has a charming French accent so the following has been edited for content and phrasing.
What attracted you to the role? Sy: I’m connected to the subject because my parents are immigrants from Senegal. When it was decided to do a movie about it, I was happy and proud to be a part of it. I know how the writing/ directing team of Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache tell stories from my experience with them in The Intouchables. They are precise and close to the truth. We In the film “Samba”, your did a lot of research. I watched a character portrays the struggles lot of documentaries and read a of illegal aliens living in France. lot of material on immigration laws.
Heat Advisory
Cooling Centers Open for Coachella Valley Residents By KMIR News Staff COACHELLA VALLEY - A heat advisory was issued today for the Coachella Valley, with temperatures expected to soar as high as 112 to 115 degrees beginning at midday Tuesday and continuing through Wednesday evening. The advisory, issued by the National Weather Service’s San Diego office, runs from noon Tuesday through 6 p.m. Wednesday, when a high pressure system over Arizona is expected to drive valley temperatures to dangerous levels.
To stay safe, try to avoid strenuous work outside. If you do need to go outdoors you should do it in the morning or evening and take regular breaks in the shade or air conditioning. If you’re feeling ill or overcome it could be heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Heat stroke symptoms include a temperature of 104 degrees or higher, altered mental state, change in sweating, nausea and vomiting, flushed skin, rapid breathing and heart rate, and a headache. If anyone suffers those symptoms you should call 911
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Splash House Returns to Palm Springs this Weekend See Page 8
since it is considered a medical emergency. The formal advisory also means that local cooling centers will open their doors for local residents in need of somewhere to escape the scorching conditions. The centers and their hours of operation are: Boys & Girls Club of DHS, 11-750 Cholla Drive, Desert Hot Springs; ages 7-17 only, breakfast and lunch provided; 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Continues on Page 5
I also had stories from my parents, but it was in the 60s and it was a different time for France and a different time for immigrants. All the things I knew from my parents were not true for today. So I met with people who told me their stories – how they came to France, what their goal was, how it was to live in France as an illegal, and what the journey was like to become legal. I learned a lot from that research. Continues on Page 7